life in the old lane

Note from Carlton: I figure that all these coins that I found yesterday was your way of checking up on me and telling me that I am doing fine. 

Those of you who know Carlton know that he never let a penny go unpicked up. He would endanger life and limb picking up a penny on a busy street. 

I have been here four weeks. 1/4 of my winter. It has been good. 

The ocean wasn’t too choppy today – but it still wasn’t a great day for photography. But, I took the camera out anyhow.

This fine eel was in about 3 feet of water. It was pretty bouncy – I didn’t want this big boy taking nips out of my fingers. Eels are always opening and closing their mouths – not because they are nipping at you – but it is the way they “breath”. And, they don’t have very good eyesight. So, seems to me – in three feet of water one could get nipped.

Been seeing lots of eels or puhi – especially since I put Carlton in the bay.  Maybe the puhi is my personal ‘aumakua. ‘Aumakua is a Hawaiian concept that I can not explain. It is sort of a household god, fairy godmother, spirit guide, ancestor thing. And, the final job for your ‘aumakua is to help you to the otherside. And that is about it for my spiritual life.

I still like these reflection selfies best! Again, it was too choppy for sea trials for the new camera – so, I strapped the monopod and the long lens on the real camera and took the underwater camera along – for a little photo play date.

Report on the monopod: It really helps. I can no longer hand hold even 400mm. Even with great image stabilization. 

Report on the underwater camera on land. It is OK. Image quality doesn’t begin to compare to the OMD-EM 1, but it is OK. Today’s pictures (except the finch) were taken by the TG-870.

Something a little different for today’s Hibiscus. (Once again the TG-870 failed on a red hibiscus). Today’s offering comes from the hou tree. These are not cute little bushes, but real trees. 

Hau blossoms arebright yellow with a deep red center upon opening. During the day, the flowers deepen to orange and finally red before they fall.

Hawaiians used the wood to make spars and ‘ama (canoe floats) for outrigger canoes, fishing net floats, and adze handles. Cordage was made from the bast fibers.

The odds are good but the goods are odd. Yes, there are age appropriate men. Let me tell you about two of them from the hotel this week.

The talker. There is a nice widower from Canada. He comes every year. He is my age. He is very fit. Enjoys good beer, coffee and chocolate. And, he can talk your ears off. This isn’t new. He did that before his wife died. Earlier this week, I decided to see how long he could talk with only the occasional ohmmmm from me. After an hour – I gave up and ran away. Today when I went for my swim I spied him on the north side of the pier – talking to someone. I decided to swim off the south side. When I came out – 30 minutes later – he was still there – talk to the same person. I beat a hasty retreat back to the hotel and my room without being seen.

The helpless. The best thing this guy said was “I am leaving tomorrow”. In fact that is about the only thing I remember him saying. He was large. And not fit. But my age. He asked me if I thought his swim trunks would get dry overnight because “I am leaving tomorrow”. He was troubled by the lack of fruit and veggies. And, he couldn’t figure out what to do with his room card. I could only stand this guy for 30 minutes. Then I told him I needed to get out of the sun – never mind that I was in the shade!

Nothing wrong with being alone. Nothing at all. 

Seems like a good car to find after eating everything in sight yesterday!

Today’s hibiscus is from the new underwater camera. (All of today’s photos are from that camera.) The hibiscus photo was a total failure. 

The ocean was too choppy for photography today. But, did that stop me? Of course not! I didn’t expect much. And, I didn’t get much.

Speaking of location – I played with the GPS Tracking feature of the new camera. It sucks battery bigtime. And, I haven’t figured out how it works. But, this is where I went while it was on.

And what did I buy on Black Friday? Clean clothes. I put 16 quarters into big white machines and got fluffy clean clothes out. 

The close of a very nice Thanksgiving Day. I have 5 desserts in the fridge. I am well fed.

And, for the daily hibiscus:

Before I embarked on my own personal food fest – I took the new camera for “sea trials”. The ocean conditions were less than ideal – but still – I had to take the new camera out and under.

The tree is decorated. But, after 10 years or so – the faux packages under the tree are looking a little scuffy. I may re-do them next week. 

The yellow hibiscus is the Hawai’i state flower. But, not this yellow hibiscus. So, who’s checking? 

Went for a walk this morning and hung around waiting to see if today was tree decorating day. Turns out it is tomorrow afternoon.  

So, I went for a nice swim in the bay – saw a fine big eel – no pictures. And then went on a field trip/lunch run with my good friends Billy and Doreen.

As you can see, we are all mature grownup persons!

The very best part of the day is swim time in the ocean. Today on my swim – I saw a fish behaviour that I had never observed. We have chubs. A modest gray fish. Medium size. Nothing special. It apparently has a yellow variant – I have never seen one. And, “when aroused” – whatever that means if you are a fish – It turns a much darker grey with white spots. Today, I saw a spotted chub. There were regular grey ones in the area. I didn’t have a camera. So, I have no picture. The one that got away. 

On tap tomorrow – put up the hotel Xmas tree. Or maybe I am supposed to do it on Wednesday. It doesn’t much matter. It takes all morning. But, what else do I have to? I’ll still get my swim in. 

 

Good food handling practices dictate putting the poi in covered plastic containers’ There was all our favorite foods. And, like good Hawaiians we ate until we were tired. Not until we were full. Nothing was diet, healthy, or lite. Well, maybe the raw fish. There were 3 tables for desserts. Two, sort of standard desserts that you would recognize – or at least understand. And one table of haupia (coconut milk, cornstarch and sugar) and mochi-type offerings. I felt sorry for the tourists across the bay at their carefully scripted “luau”. 

When Carlton was at one of these gatherings – he would insist that I go through the line with him and tell him what he would like. And, how to eat it. 

There was more than food. There was music and dancing. Pictures of Uncle Sam. And, the most touching thing – the hat – unfinished – that he was working on when he died. Sam was a weaver. 

And today’s Hibiscus.

 

All these hibiscus are starting to look alike, aren’t they?

Well, I am going to keep taking pictures of them until I get one that I like. Beings as how I am a stubborn old woman. A stubborn old woman who believes it is time to take to the streets and fight like hell for the soul of our country. Well, being old, I may do most of my fighting with my purse. I hugely enjoyed making a donation to Planned Parenthood in honor of Mike Pence this morning. 

Carlton is by the seawall where the little waves are lapping up. In a couple of hours, I’ll be going over to a Celebration of Life for a dear friend. Have known him and his family for 20+ years. He made my “straw” – actually lauhala – hat. In typical superficial Peg fashion, I cried – but I have nothing to wear. Well, I actually have the dress that I wore to Carlton’s Funeral Mass at Georgetown this past April. Surely it will be good enough to wear to this Celebration. And, I’ll wear Sam’s hat. Or papale as it is properly called.

When I walked through the grounds this morning – food and drink was being laid in and the band was doing a sound check. Sam will be well remembered.

Speaking of remembered, I am still annoyed over Carlton’s Fake Obit. It made Mr C sound all respectable and normal. He was neither. He might have started out respectable and normal, but he didn’t end up that way. Do you really think I would live with a respectable and normal man? 

I figured out who did it. And, I know what Carlton would say. He would say “Give it a rest. Wait until the guy who did it dies – then have it taken down, if possible.” As usual, good advice. 

But, really, WTF, you can just make up an obituary? FAKE NEWS. Well, the Mormons can baptise you after you are dead. Why not make up an obituary? 

And, I ordered a new cheapass underwater camera. This afternoon, as soon as those nice Jewish boys in NYC opened up after Shabbos. Might be here by next Friday. Or not.

Been thinking about the death of my $99 underwater camera. I think I’ll get another cheapass underwater camera. Why?

1. I can afford another camera.
2. Taking a camera swimming with me just makes it more fun. And fun is good.
3. Why not get a housing for my DSLR? I would if I was still a diver. A DSLR in a housing is serious overkill when snorkeling. Also, the housing for it would cost more than $1,000. And, WHEN it floods it will take an expensive camera and lens with it. 
4. An action camera – i.e. GoPro – or a conventional point and shoot underwater camera? Conventional PS camera. I am not an “action” person anymore. But, more important – I am just not a video person. So, if I got an action camera – most of the time I would use it to take still photos. 
5. So, I think I’ll get another cheapass underwater camera.
6. Stay tuned. 

Note to self: This was a fine breakfast. Make it again. I could be lunch or dinner too

Break one egg in a bowl. Put half an English muffin or slice of bread on top. Nuke 60 seconds. Flip out on a plate. Top with avocado and/or salsa. Sort of like “French” toast. You could also toast the muffin/bread. Then it is more like Eggs Benedict. 

 

Went on a swim today. And I found a cleaning station. The little yellow and purple fish is a cleaner wrasse. Other fish come by for a little fishy spa treatment. 

A bummer – the $99 camera flooded today. Just a little flood. It will dry out and be useable – but it’s ocean going days are over. With underwater gear, it isn’t a question of IF it will flood. But WHEN will it flood.

Needless to say, I am doing a little “window shopping” for a replacement. 

The ubiquitous hibiscus is problematic for me to photograph. Sort of like the trouble I have with irises.

Anyhow, this is one of the seven hibiscus that are native to Hawai’i. There are plenty of hybrid Chinese hibiscus for me to use for practice. 

Happy things: Goodness knows we need them.

1. I got a fine heavy silk dress at the thrift shop for 25cents. Well, actually 25cents was the asking price. I insisted on paying 50cents for it. Today, I washed it in my sink and hung it out on the lanai to dry. It looks great. It says “dry clean only” – well that wasn’t going to happen. And, 100% silk. That is it for labels. Not even any indication that the makers label had been removed. There is a tiny metal star where the makes label should be. Very curious. Good fun for 50cents.
2. I have a folder on my computer desktop named “happy things”. In it are things that make me happy. This makes me happy. It is so totally Hawaiian. https://vimeo.com/124639655 it is a little iPhone video of a bunch of guys singing the Doxology in Hawaiian. To me it isn’t a religious thing. It is a music thing. Feel free to add religious to it.